Wireless communication devices (such as GSM/GPRS devices) connect to networks typically by subscribing to a particular service provider. When the device is in communication range of the service provider's area of coverage, the device will automatically be able to register to the service provider. However, when the device is brought to an area outside of the service provider's area of coverage, the device will automatically switch to a “roaming” mode whereby the device can register with a roaming partner having an agreement with the user's service provider.
While this automatic switching to the pre-set or pre-agreed upon roaming partner provides a practical solution in some situations, such an automatic selection may pose some issues. For example, the user may want to choose a roaming partner that is different from that which the device is registered because the user knows that roaming on a particular partner costs less than the roaming partner automatically selected by the device. Also, the roaming partner to which the device is pre-registered might be a voice-only roaming partner, meaning that the user will be unable to establish a data connection.
One solution to this problem is to display all roaming partners that are available within the range of the device, and let the user choose the roaming partner. This solution may not be helpful because the user may not know how to select an appropriate roaming partner, especially when the user is unable to discern which of the roaming partners offers data connectivity. Further, users who roam between two locations frequently (e.g. US and UK) would have to make this selection every time they roam.